NFL is planning to discontinue Game Revind service and replace it with a revamped Game Pass service that will be also available on Apple TV (among other platforms, like iOS, Android, Windows and XBOX ONE/360).

The Game Revind service (U.S. only) offers online streaming and on-demand NFL games. As of July 31, 2015 it will no longer be available. The same day NFL will launch an overhauled Game Pass service that will offer all 256 regular-season games on-demand (“available at the conclusion of the applicable game telecast”), live out-of-market preseason games as well as live press conferences and shows. Subscribers will also have an access to any game dating back to 2009.

It’s the first time you will be able to watch full NFL games directly on Apple TV. Currently, NFL only offers the NFL Now app for Apple TV, with on-demand game-day highlights, breaking news, analysis and video archives.

The new Game Pass service will be available in the United States, Bermuda, Antigua, the Bahamas, any U.S. territories, possessions and commonwealths (including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands), and Mexico.

Pricing hasn’t been revealed yet.

It appears that the  international NFL Now service for Apple TV will continue to be available.

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So the Super Bowl Sunday is here and everyone is getting their popcorn ready. For those who haven’t been able to get a ticket into the stadium nor have a supported cable subscription, here is huge news: you will be able to live stream SuperBowl XLIX this Sunday and that too for free. It is all thanks to NBC Universal who are broadcasting the whole event for the public to promote their TV Everywhere service.

Not only the game, but also the pre- and post-match shows, a Blacklist episode and even the Half Time program featuring Katy Perry will be available for free streaming.

Unfortunately, no Apple TV channel has sufficient rights to distribute the game and hence, we will have to rely on AirPlay to watch the iconic event on the big screen.

In this post, we will be covering four methods to watch the Super Bowl 2015 on your Apple TV, using AirPlay from different devices.

A. How to watch Super Bowl XLIX on Apple TV using iPad or iPod touch

The NBC Sports Live Extra app can help you there. This official app from NBC will cover the event and it also supports AirPlay mirroring.

Sunday night, fire up the app, choose the game and play the video stream, slide up the Control Center and choose your Apple TV. Now sit back and enjoy the game.

Get NBC Sports Live Extra app from the App Store for free.

This is probably the easiest of all methods. Unfortunately, this service is available only on iPad and iPod touch but not the iPhone, thanks to Verizon’s exclusive broadcast rights for smartphones.

B. How to watch Super Bowl 2015 on Apple TV using Mac or Windows PC

NBC has confirmed that they will live broadcast the entire event on their website, too. You can browse the site on your computer and AirPlay the video from there to the Apple TV. Bookmark this link if you’re planning to use this method.

On a Mac, the AirPlay capability is built right in and you just need to select your Apple TV from the top bar to get things going.

But if you’re on a Windows machine, you’ll need a third-party software to do so. AirParrot is a fairly popular one and also comes with a 7 day trial. You can check out our review of AirParrot or download it here.

C. How to watch Super Bowl 2015 on Apple TV using iPhone

If you’re on a Verizon iPhone, you can download their NFL Mobile app. The app will surely cover the Super Sunday but as you can see in the screenshot above (right), many videos in the app block video playing over AirPlay. Hence, it is unclear if the app will allow broadcasting of the game to your Apple TV. If they do, even non-Verizon users can use it but for a $4.99 subscription.

The best part is that the app will support our favorite Super Bowl ads, too.

The NFL Mobile app is the simplest method for iPhoners but since its availability is uncertain, there is an alternative way: this would be to use the website stream like we did with the computers.

Just use Safari to reach NBCSports. Stream the event and simply turn on AirPlay Mirroring to your Apple TV. If you need a more intuitive experience, you can try AirBrowser, a browser app designed for Apple TV.

D. How to watch Super Bowl XLIX on Apple TV outside the US

1. Those who want to watch the game from abroad can do so by buying an NFL Game Pass from here, but it will cost you $9.99. You will be able to watch the game on your PC or Mac and AirPlay it to your Apple TV (see above).

2. On an iOS device, you can use apps like TunnelBear to VPN your iPhone into a US server, in under a minute. However, this would set you back 3 dollars for the month. Once your device is US-ified, you can follow any of the above (A and C) methods to watch Super Bowl XLIX this Sunday.

3. If you’re residing in a country where a channel is officially broadcasting this Super Bowl, it is likely than the provider has an iOS app which can be used to stream the game and AirPlay to your Apple TV.

Here is the list of various broadcast partners around the world.

E. Sources supporting Super Bowl commercials

Admit it, the ads make the Super Bowl more worth watching and I know that many of you’re wondering if they can be enjoyed on Apple TV. Unfortunately, only the NFL Mobile app will carry these commercials along the game.

Others will have to enjoy them later via this channel on YouTube.

Summing up

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It seems like the Apple TV is suddenly in love with sports. 120 Sports becomes the third sports channel to find its way to the set top box this month, after Cricket Australia and Tennis Everywhere.

120 Sports is backed by the Sports Illustrated and brings live and on-demand content from various major leagues. The games include MLB, NBA, NHL, PGA Tour, NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball, NASCAR and other college leagues.

120 Sports is a first-of-its-kind network partnership involving multiple leagues and media properties created for the digital generation and the devices it uses most. In 120 Sports, today’s fans will have access to unauthenticated video programming through a new platform built to intuitively integrate video and data in ways they haven’t experienced before.

Though 120 Sports has its own mobile apps, Apple TV becomes the first streaming device to support the channel. Similar to its website, the contents are sorted into a Dashboard with ten hours of daily content, a Timeline of live and aired videos and a Catch up section of curated content.

And the best part is that the channel is completely free. No need of logging in with your cable subscription account not are there any membership costs. The 120 Sports app is available to users in the US right now, via an over-the-air update.

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We have been hearing about the NFL Now channel for Apple TV since the beginning of this month and two weeks back, the NFL Now app appeared on iOS devices. “A companion channel on the Apple TV [was] expected to launch later [that] day” and we have been waiting since. Though a bit late, the NFL Channel is finally out on Apple TV.

The channel sports three tabs namely NFL Now, Series and Highlights. The first one shows you the most popular and featured football videos while Series deals with NFL’s own shows; Highlights does exactly what it sounds like.

Football fans should be excited because the 2014-2015 NFL season is starting early next month. Via the app you will be able to watch match highlights, live events, press conferences, NFL exclusive shows, contents from NFL clubs and more.

You can also subscribe to the NFL Now Plus service for 2 dollars a month to gain access to in-game highlights, NFL Films and custom streams.

However, you won’t be able to cut the cord completely, because the channel doesn’t provide live streaming of NFL matches. DirecTV has announced that Sunday Ticket won’t be available on the NFL Now service, at least for this season.

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Apple TV is getting overwhelmed with new channels. It’s hardly been a week since the FX Now and CNBC apps made it into Apple TV, when new rumors have emerged on the imminent launch of the NFL Now channel. The above picture was taken by an NFL employee and shows the channel in testing on an Apple TV.

The NFL Now service was launched earlier this year to bring a personalized library of on-demand news, features, highlights, live streaming of press conferences and other events, and more. It was announced that the service will be available on the web and on mobile devices, but this is the first time we are hearing about a dedicated Apple TV channel.

Here’s what the channel has to offer.

– Original Content Created for NFL Now: From the NFL Media studios in Los Angeles, NFL Now will create original content — news updates, shows, features, and more — designed specifically for digital platforms.

– Highlights of NFL Action:NFL Now will have extensive highlights of the best plays from NFL games, including a premium instant highlights service during the game window. Subscribers will be able to follow along with the action so they never miss a big play by their favorite team or fantasy players. After games end, relive the highlights from every game.

– Content Produced by NFL Clubs: Each of the NFL clubs is constantly producing content for their team-specific platforms from practice updates to locker room interviews and players features. The NFL Now stream provides a next-generation platform to deliver this team content to fans.

– NFL Films Content: With more than 100 million feet of film in its library and more than 110 Emmy Awards, NFL Films programming, including America’s Game, The Top 100, and the two-time Emmy-nominated series “A Football Life,” will be part of NFL Now.

– NFL.com & NFL Network Content: NFL Now will utilize select NFL.com and NFL Network video content to augment each fan’s NFL Now content stream.

– Live Events, Press Conferences, and Shows: From league and team press conferences, to the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction weekend and the yearly release of the NFL schedule, NFL Now will share important moments from across the NFL calendar.

The channel is expected to be released this month, even as early as next week, to be in time for this year’s 2014-2015 NFL season. Apart from Apple TV, the corresponding apps will also be available on iOS and other streaming devices like Roku. However the channel may not be your best option to enjoy football because it won’t be broadcasting live matches! Yeah, DirecTV has told that the Sunday Ticket will not make into the NFL Now service, at least for this season!

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